The Non-Duality book(s) that changed your life?

[LfcCharlie4]

Nowadays, there is literally 1000s of Non-Duality books out there, so I wondered what are the ones that really made it 'click' for you? 

Mine are: 

Eckhart Tolle- The Power Of Now- Must've listened to it 50-100 times between the ages of 16-18, was my first introduction to it all. A new Earth is pretty good too. 

1000 & 'No Mind, No Problem' by Ramaji- Cleared up so much for me, No Mind, No Self & the natural pure awareness meditation inside the book is Gold, and I've spoken about 1000 on here enough lmao. 

Intimacy With The Infinite- Ananda Devi- A staggering story of how much awakening can drastically change your life, but shows following & Living Truth always pays off in the end, I am biased as Ananda is / was my teacher! 

Rupert Spira- The Art Of Peace & Happiness- Such a great book & articulate writer. However, I feel sometimes, he ever so slightly overcomplicates the language which can be confusing for newbies. However, him & Francis Lucille's Inward & Outward (Tantric) paths I found particularly useful in contrast to just traditional Advaita alone. 

 

Hoping to add @Nahm's book to this list soon  

 

[Nahm]

[mandyjw]

My favorites rights now are...

I Am That -Nisargadatta Maharaj

Mister God, This Is Anna -Fynn (Totally unexpected but incredibly enlightening and nondual)

The Nature of Consciousness- Rupert Spira

The Transparency of Things: Contemplating the Nature of Experience - Rupert Spira

The Power of Now was also the biggest turn around one for me. 

Edited May 4, 2021 by mandyjw

[Flyboy]

The Book of Not Knowing - the single best deconstruction of "self" I have ever found, though more of a guide to your first "glimpse" than to a permanent understanding; however, the deconstruction can benefit anyone and will break you out of ideology in a profoundly personal way

MCTB - How to actually get enlightened, the hard and permanent way: unraveling the knot of perception; also a fantastic source for understanding what is NOT enlightenment (such as formless Jhanas)

The Science of Enlightenment - Shinzen Young's explanation clears up some of the technicality in MCTB with an approachable framework

The Mind Illuminated - How to master the concentration side of meditation (which will support the insight side of it)

Seeing that Frees - A truly advanced guide to some of the highest insights on your path

[Beginner Mind]

"Being Aware of Being Aware" by Rupert Spira inspired me to discover my true nature.

[Beginner Mind]

@LfcCharlie4 I agree that Rupert's writing can be difficult for newbies, and even for seasoned seekers.  But I've grown to appreciate his style over time.  Very articulate.  He's like the Jean-Luc Picard of spirituality.

[LfcCharlie4]

@mandyjw I always found direct translations of Nisgardatta / Ramana in book form tough to read, I'm not sure Sanskrit can be rightfully translated to English very well haha 

@Flyboy Awesome, I found a book of not knowing dry but that was probably cos I was listening to it at my first ever cleaning job which was already boring haha 

@Beginner Mind Yeah I love Rupert, and you're right, it just requires a higher level of intellectual ability

[mandyjw]

Just now, LfcCharlie4 said:

@mandyjw I always found direct translations of Nisgardatta / Ramana in book form tough to read, I'm not sure Sanskrit can be rightfully translated to English very well haha 

I've found Ramana the same way for the most part, but it could have been a not so great translation or collection. Some sections are really good though. By the way if any one has a recommendation that would be great.

 I Am That is very well translated though, there's a little bit of a learning curve to understand the religious language, but Tolle and most other teachers create their own language to some degree. It's WELL worth it and there is a glossary the back. He was an incredible spontaneous teacher and the book is transcripts of conversations and really shows this and the spirit really shines through. 

[Grateful Dead]

The 'Power of Now' was definitely life changing..

also 'LSD and the Mind of the Universe', 'Entheogenic Liberation', 'The Book of Not Knowing' and 'The Mind Illuminated' had a huge impact on me.

And I really enjoyed all books from JedMcKenna but I am not sure how much they actually influenced me.

I would recommend 'LSD and the Mind of the Universe' even to people who don't intend to take psychedelics, it's a very unique book.

[fridjonk]

I've never understood how a book could change one's life. 

After psychedelics, I saw how utterly pointless books were for me (after having read a lot already), yet good pointers in the right direction.   

If I were to pick a favorite it would be conversations with god series. 

[Beginner Mind]

30 minutes ago, mandyjw said:

I've found Ramana the same way for the most part, but it could have been a not so great translation or collection. Some sections are really good though. By the way if any one has a recommendation that would be great.

I found David Godman's "Be As You Are" to be a great overview of Ramana's teaching.

[Jonty]

The Perfume Of Silence by Francis Lucille and The Nature Of Consciousness by Rupert Spira. 

 

[Moksha]

The Power of Now was a turning point for me, but nonduality is nowhere more clearly defined than in the Bhagavad Gita. Go figure, nonduality equates with equanimity:

They live in freedom who have gone beyond the dualities of life. Competing with no one, they are alike in success and failure and content with whatever comes to them.

Those who have attained perfect renunciation are free from any sense of duality; they are unaffected by likes and dislikes, Arjuna, and are free from the bondage of self-will. The immature think that knowledge and action are different, but the wise see them as the same. The person who is established in one path will attain the rewards of both.

People claim to have directly realized nonduality, but how many of us are equally content with success and failure, and consistently coherent with our knowledge and our actions? Nonduality is not just a realization, it is the purest state of being.

 

[Frenk]

Perfect brilliant stillness - David Carse

The philosophy of consciousness without an object - Franklin Merrell-Wolff

[Galyna]

Consciousness Speaks: Conversations with Ramesh S. Balsekar

[tuckerwphotography]

Conversations with God vol 1-3 are great bridge books into the world of nonduality. 

[Ry4n]

Emptiness Dancing Adyashanti 

[TheDao]

Free version of MCTB; table of contents:

https://www.mctb.org/mctb2/table-of-contents/